American veterans with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are providing Gaza humanitarian aid to Palestinians, navigating security threats from Hamas and coordinating with the Israeli military to distribute over 160 million meals since May 2025.
Veterans Lead On-the-Ground Aid Efforts
The American veterans Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) volunteers say their military service has prepared them for the complex mission. Veteran Jason Murray described the initial phase of the operation, stating, “We kind of built a plane in flight … not even knowing where we were going to land.“
Volunteers face immense desperation from hungry Palestinians while managing threats from what they call “bad actors.” These include Hamas operatives and gang members who seek to exploit the situation and seize aid deliveries intended for civilians.
Security Threats to Gaza Humanitarian Aid
The GHF acknowledges the constant threat from terror groups during aid distribution. “From a security standpoint, our goal is to provide aid in a safe and secure manner. Hamas does operate in this area,” said Jason Murray.
Fellow veteran Scott Weimer added that they “absolutely see Hamas in the background.“
To manage these risks, GHF IDF security coordination is critical for securing distribution sites. This partnership aims to prevent armed individuals from entering aid areas, though volunteers report seeing weapons. “We’ve had pistols seen before, there’s been AKs seen before.
There’s grenades that went off,” veteran Brandon Zielinski stated.
A Coordinated Security Response
Volunteers receive security briefings covering the previous 48 hours before each shift. Zielinski’s team identifies and records suspicious individuals, sharing this information with security officials to intercept threats. “We’ll see down the line that…this is a guy that has a pistol on him,” Zielinski explained.
Despite the dangers, the volunteers remain focused on their mission. Scott Weimer praised his colleagues for their professionalism under pressure. “I have never once seen any of us overreact to what would be…a very scary situation,” he said.
US Veterans on Gaza Media Coverage
The veterans expressed deep frustration with how their work and the situation on the ground are portrayed in the media. They urged the American public to look beyond mainstream narratives. “These military veterans that lived a long honorable life, we would never be a part of something [like] what I’ve seen in the media,” Weimer said.
Weimer described media depictions of GHF’s work as “so far askew” that “it really actually sickens me.” The volunteers maintain their commitment to the humanitarian cause, with Zielinski noting, “Everybody wants to help, and everybody sees the reward for doing so.“
